Position Paper Guide

last updated: March 13th, 2022

What is a Position Paper?

A Position Paper is a one-paged document you will submit to your dais team that details your country’s stance on the topic as well as possible solutions. A Position Paper generally has four parts:

1. General introduction to the topic
2. Your country’s stance on the topic and how it has been affected
3. Past actions taken by your country + Possible solutions your country proposes
4. Conclusion

Your Position Paper is the first impression your dais will have of you. The paper shows the depth of your research and understanding of the topic as well as your creative thinking when it comes to solutions.

General Guidelines

Identification (at the top of the page)

• Committee
• Country
• Topic
• Your own name

Formatting

• Font: Times New Roman
• Size: 12pt
• Topic
• Single-spaced

Length

• One position paper per topic within each committee
• Position papers should be no longer than one page

Write from your country’s perspective

• Use phrases such as “[my country] believes”
• Do not use personal pronouns

Citations

• Consider using footnotes for information that is not "general knowledge" and is specific to a source
• Must include a bibliography of sources used

Part 1: Introduction

Broadly outline the topic

• State the problem
• Explain its significance State your country's areas of concern

Part 2: Country Stance

Identify your country and its relation to the topic

• State your country’s stance
• Detail your country’s concern Summarize how the topic discussed is affecting your country
• Identify to what extent has your country been affected

Part 3: Past Actions + Solutions

Describe past actions your country has taken

• Policies and their results Propose possible solutions you plan to bring to the conference
• Brief summary of what you plan to do
• Applicable internationally

Part 4: Conclusion

1. Restate your country’s stance
2. Outline what you hope to achieve through the conference

Sample Position Paper

Social, Humanitarian, and Cultural Committee
Country: Cuba
Delegate: Jane Doe
Topic: Labour Trafficking

The proliferation of labour trafficking has been a concern since 6800 BCE. This ignominious crime violates the rights of millions of people worldwide, including men, women, and children. Cuba, a principal country for child trafficking, has made little efforts to eradicate this issue. Cuba is especially concerned with the dire consequences if labour trafficking continues to increase.

An estimated 40.3 million people in modern slavery, nearly 62 percent are in forced labour. In Cuba, many forms of labour trafficking - including sex trafficking of young adolescents - has not been criminalized, and potential trafficked victims have been detained for unlawful acts committed as a direct result of being subjected to trafficking. If situations continue to aggravate, the ramifications which follow would be unthinkable. Cuba does not fully meet the minimum standards for the elimination of labour trafficking; however, the government has executed a number of attempts in hopes of making significant changes by prosecuting more traffickers.

Cuba has remained a Tier Two country for four consecutive years; however, the state recently downgraded to a Tier Three country. Despite the pursuits made by the government in previous years, the lack of effort has plunged immensely. In 2017, the Republic of Cuba created a directorate providing specialized attention to child victims of trafficking, and even published its national anti-trafficking plan. Although the government devoted sufficient resources to a written plan that if implemented would constitute significant efforts to meet minimum standards, they did not criminalize most forms of forced labour. Consequently, legislation must be strengthened and preventative measures and appropriate prosecution of traffickers must be implemented. Preventative measures - specifically education - not only inform citizens of their rights, but also serve as a long-term solution by providing a better future void of human trafficking and modern slavery. Appropriate prosecution of traffickers in Cuba varies from four to twenty years of imprisonment; however, the government should consider increasing the severity of the penalty. Additionally, further investigations should be conducted to ultimately target the root causes of labour trafficking.

To conclude, Cuba views labour trafficking as a severe obstacle that requires urgent attention. However, due to Cuba’s financial instability, the actions implemented by the government can only induce minor significance. Cuba’s previous pursuits of eradicating labour trafficking has ameliorated the situation in the country; however, further actions must be implemented to fully eradicate labour trafficking.